Looking for new tools to fight fibromyalgia? Natural remedies - including exercise, acupuncture and supplements – can treat symptoms and ease pain. Here are 6 alternative techniques to try and expert tips to get started...

When fibromyalgia stiffens limbs and makes muscles and joints tender and sore, you may assume pain medication is your only bet.

“In our research [a combination of mind-body approaches], 25% of patients were symptom-free after six months,” Dr. Schubiner says.

However, these treatments require participation from the patient, he says.

“Some people like being an active part of their own healing, while others feel it’s too much work,” Dr. Schubiner says. “Much of the success of a program depends on what you think will be effective.”

Read on to find out which science-backed alternative approaches are best for you.

1. YogaHow it works:Besideslowering stress, yoga helps reduce chronic inflammation, which many researchers believe is a main cause of fibromyalgia-related discomfort.

In fact, women who practice yoga have lower blood levels of cytokine interleukin-6 – a protein causing inflammation that’s also linked to heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes – according to a 2010 Ohio State University study.

Danielle Miller, 45, of Lancaster, Pa., tried “every medication on the market” to treat her fibromyalgia pain. When a friend suggested a yoga class, she was reluctant at first but soon became hooked.

The meditation, breathing and stretching exercises increased her flexibility, improved sleep and even eased her irritable bowel syndrome, a disorder often associated with fibromyalgia.

“After 6-8 sessions, I began feeling better,” she says.

How to get started:Look for a yoga instructor experienced with fibromyalgia. (Your physician may be able to refer you.)

3. AcupunctureHow it works: Acupuncture has been used in traditional Asian medicine for thousands of years to relieve pain related to a variety of conditions. Research shows it may also be effective for fibromyalgia.

In a 2009 University of Michigan study, women with the disorder were treated with either acupuncture or a “sham” (fake) version, in which their skin was pricked with a sharp device to simulate acupuncture sensations.

Brain imaging showed that those who received real treatments got more relief from painkillers with codeine and morphine (opiates).

“We’ve seen a drop in 5-10 points on the pain scale [a 1-10 scale doctors use to assess discomfort levels] from fibromyalgia patients who’ve used acupuncture,” says Richard E. Harris, Ph.D., a researcher at the University of Michigan’s Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center.

Annette Poizner, a 47-year-old psychotherapist in Toronto, Canada, says acupuncture reduced her discomfort. But those results took a long time, and she warns against looking at the ancient Chinese treatment as a quick fix.

4. Mindfulness meditationHow it works: Mindfulness – defined as a calm, nonjudgmental focus on the present moment – can be a powerful stress-reduction method. When combined with meditation, it may reduce fibromyalgia pain and other physical complaints, according to a University of Basel, Switzerland study.

Researchers found that it helped patients cope better with the anxiety and depression that often go along with the disorder.

When women with fibromyalgia enrolled in an eight-week program of mindfulness-based stress reduction, they had significantly more relief from symtoms than those who received only physical or emotional support from loved ones and peers.

A follow-up found they were still benefiting from the mindfulness program 3 years later.

Because high stress levels can trigger or worsen fibromyalgia symptoms, it makes sense that reducing it brings relief, says Dr. Schubiner.

Still, he adds, meditation alone may not be enough.

“Results depend on how you incorporate these practices into your life,” he says. “If you have a lot of stress at home, for example, you can reduce it with meditation. But you’ll need to address root problems too.”

How to get started:Some hospitals and medical clinics offer mindfulness programsfor patients.

The Smiling Breath 1. Sit comfortably on a chair or cushion and smile, even if it feels forced at first.

2. Imagine directing this smile inwardly throughout your whole body.

3. As you inhale, sense yourself inhaling through your smile, allowing the energy of the smile to combine with the energy of your breath, and direct this energy down to the painful area.

4. Exhale through pursed but relaxed lips (as if gently blowing on a candle without blowing it out). Do this for a minimum of five minutes.

6. ExerciseHow it works:Physical activity is an important fibromyalgia treatment, but don’t dive right in to an intensive exercise program.

“Too much too soon can have a rebound effect, where you’re worse off than before you started,” Harris says. “The key lies in finding the right amount.”

The proper dose is moderate bursts of exercise that add up to 30 minutes a day, 5-7 times a week, according to a 2010 Johns Hopkins University study that found that patients following this regimen had reduced pain and less trouble functioning after 12 weeks.

How to get started:Begin slowly, exercising for as little as three minutes at a time.

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